Mr. Speaker, this week the justice committee has heard heartbreaking testimony about how the Young Offenders Act has failed Canadians. The chiefs of police association said yesterday that the YOA has done more to undermine faith-

Mr. Speaker, my question for the justice officials is why has the government ignored victims' pleas by refusing to publish the names of violent young offenders, abolish the minimum age of 12 for young offenders and hold parents financially responsible for children's criminal actions when appropriate?

Gordon KirkbyParliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. As the hon. member is aware, the government has acted in relation to the Young Offenders Act already, increasing penalties for the most serious crimes and reversing the onus as to whether a youth case should be tried in adult court.

We are now engaged in a process in the justice committee to hear input on further possible changes. He is part of that committee and will sit with us as we-

Mr. Speaker, the jury is in on many of the obvious reforms to the Young Offenders Act. Can the Parliamentary Secretary to Minister of Justice explain to the parents of victims why the minister under Bill C-37 reduced the parole eligibility of a young offender convicted of second degree murder from a maximum of 10 years to 7 years?

Mr. Speaker, yesterday morning in Quebec City, all stakeholders in Quebec's marine sector expressed a clear consensus against the new fee structure the minister of fisheries is about to impose.

Quebec's Minister of Transportation and the seven mayors of the cities with the biggest ports in Quebec, together with representatives of the aluminum industry and all stakeholders in the marine sector, stated very clearly that the minister's new fee structure would likely have a disastrous impact on the Quebec economy.

Can the minister of fisheries tell us if his government intends to respect this Quebec consensus against a new fee structure that could have disastrous consequences on the Quebec economy and on all ports along the St. Lawrence?

Mr. Speaker, I thank the hon. member for his question. He is aware we have been through this procedure since January. We have consulted with the industry. We have taken recommendations from the Marine Advisory Board.

The hon. member is involved in the final report of the fisheries committee on this very important subject. I appreciate his co-operation and the contribution he is making.

One more time, I assure the House and the hon. member that in this project as we ratchet up from $20 million, $40 million, $60 million over a period of four years, we will put together a system that is the most fair and equitable to all parts of Canada.

Mr. Speaker, apart from the problem with the figures the minister just quoted, the consensus I referred to in my first question also reflects that problem.

Does the minister of fisheries admit he is duty bound to respect such a broad consensus against his proposal as drafted, which affects not only Quebec but also Ontario and many stakeholders in the maritimes, including Newfoundland's Oceanex and the port of Halifax?

Mr. Speaker, I may have missed the intonation of the last part of the hon. member's question but I do not think it is important to the answer.

All these aspects have been taken into consideration. Nobody wants to pay any more for anything. The regrettable part of this is we have to go forward with it. It has been passed by this very Parliament.

If the hon. member is trying to derail this issue and defer it for another time, it will cost the industry more money. I am sure he would not want to be part of something to do that.

Mr. Speaker, the Reform Party wants deregulation for the benefit of consumers, but letting banks into car leasing will not be good for consumers. Without more competition among banks, it will only fatten their already fat wallets.

Will the minister assure the House banks will not be allowed to expand their business until they are also forced to face more competition?

Mr. Speaker, all the minister's recent announcements are about demands from the banks for more business.

The demands by others for more freedom to compete with the banks are never mentioned. I am sure this has nothing to do with the banks' generous financial support for the Liberal Party and the government's $105,000 grant to the Canadian Bankers Association.

Will the minister assure the House that the up-coming white paper will level the regulatory playing field between banks and their competitors?